


From Wood to Stone

by Nemati



Series: The Hobbit Read Along [1]
Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types, The Hobbit - J. R. R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types
Genre: Dale - Freeform, Erebor, Gen, Hobbit Culture, Home, Mirkwood, Moria | Khazad-dûm, Pre-Hobbit, Ravens, Rivendell, Short & Sweet, Spiders, The Shire, War of the Ring, tolkienreadalong
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-11
Updated: 2015-05-29
Packaged: 2018-03-22 10:39:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 4,152
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3725695
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nemati/pseuds/Nemati
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He was just a little Hobbit after all,  in a very wide world filled with many strange beings.</p><p>A collection of short stories for the Hobbit read-along on Tumblr. Go team Baggins!</p><p>1. Gandalf and the Shire: Gandalf has always liked to embellish the stories he loves.<br/>2. Elrond: Bilbo helps to remind Lord Elrond of why he fights, simply by being himself.<br/>3. Beorn: Bilbo never spoke much of Beorn, the man’s history hurt him too much to make into a story.<br/>4. Spiders: The spiders did not just appear in Mirkwood, for their tale is older than the sun.<br/>5. Erebor: On the mountain, before the door, Was sat an old Raven, Who cawed the tale of Erebor.<br/>6. Bilbo’s Choice: Bilbo makes the choice to give away the Arkenstone, but his reasons aren’t completely altruistic.<br/>7. The Aftermath: Dain makes Bilbo an offer, but all he wants is to go home.<br/>8. Free: Balin comes to visit and brings news of a new quest.<br/>9. Other works, The Fellowship of the Ring: Bilbo traveled back to Erebor after his party, but doesn’t find what his heart was looking for.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Gandalf and the Shire

**Author's Note:**

> According to Hobbit folklore, when Golfimbul's head landed in the rabbit-hole, Bandobras invented the game of golf. Who is to say that Gandalf didn't help the story along a little?

 When he had to dodge a sudden pumpkin rolling and bouncing down the rocky hill, followed by two laughing lads and chased by quite a rotund fellow, it was clear to Gandalf he was nearing Long Cleeve, home of the North-Tooks.

He had not been here for some time now, not since he had fought alongside the Rangers in many battles to protect the Shire from the invasion of Goblins and discovered one party had evaded them and made it to Greenfields.

Fearing the worst for the small folk living in the north of the Shire, they had quickly followed the tracks, only to find lone fleeing Goblins and victorious Hobbits, led by one remarkable lad, taller than any other Hobbit Gandalf had seen before, riding a horse.

"Gandalf! Here you are at last. You have some explaining to do." And here was said Hobbit now, looking somewhat cross.

"Bandoras Took, is that any way to greet an old friend?" Gandalf huffed. He had traveled quite far, after all, to visit here.

But Bandoras was not so easily placated. "What kind of stories have you been telling people around here? They seem to think I'm some kind of hero."

"The truth of course." Gandalf told him as they started their way to North-Tookburough. "You did lead an army of Hobbits against a Goblin invasion and slew their leader. You saved a lot of people that day and should be proud of it." He stated further with a definite nod.

Bandoras snorted inelegantly. "We rode around the group of Goblins, hoping in our desperation to catch them of guard by attacking them from the rear. That I was even able to get my club near their king was pure luck."

Gandalf smiled at the peeved Hobbit, knowing full well he would be telling this very same tale to many eager Hobbits this evening after dinner and planning to add just a little more about a game he liked to call Golf, named after the slain Goblin king Golfimbul.

"Luck favors the bold, my dear Bullroarer, and all good stories deserve embellishment."


	2. Elrond

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bilbo makes quite an impression on Lord Elrond during their first meeting and maybe influences more than he would ever suspect.

When the fighting is over and the dead are send off to their afterlife, he gathers his people and takes them away from the suffering as best he can. Many of those who follow him wish for nothing more than peace and so he sets out to find a place to create just that.

They build in a valley at the foot of the misty mountains and call it home.

Their doors are open to any who seek aid and while most travel on after resting and resupplying, some stay and make their own home alongside them.

Rivendell, or the Last Homely House as it's known to many, becomes a refuge to those of weary souls and a place of safety to many travelers.

 

When a company of Dwarves arrives, accompanied by Mithrandir and a Hobbit, his Elves have quite a merry time making fun of them and their long beards, but no matter how different their peoples are, they won't deny them supplies, a place to rest or even advice.

The group stays for fourteen days and while the Dwarves keep to themselves, the Hobbit does his best to experience all that the valley has to offer.

During those days he often see the small figuring wandering through the orchards and gardens, visiting the vast library or happily speaking with any inhabitant that might wish for a conversation.

On one such occasion he himself goes to sate his curiosity and invites the Hobbit to join him for dinner and wine.

Their talk continues long after their meal is done and many stories are exchanged as it becomes clear that their interest is mutual.

Bilbo passionately tells him of the Shire, his people and his beloved Bag-End, so he cannot help but ask why he has joined on this dangerous quest.

Bilbo's answer reminds him of why he answers when aid is called for, why he keeps fighting when darkness rises and why his vigil is ever constant.

Bilbo cannot say why exactly he ran after the dwarves that one morning, but he does say why he won't abandon them now.

He would see them regain their home, simply because it is the right thing to do.

It seems such a simple thing to the Hobbit, but to him it speaks of a sense of fairness and justice that is very rare in the world of this Age and therefore all the more precious.


	3. Beorn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bilbo would always remember Beorn fondly, but it is a fondness that is edged with a sharp sadness, until the war is won and finally news arrives from the east.

When Bilbo thought of Beorn, who had given such great help on their long journey, he always felt a little sad.

Beorn may have lived in that great house with many friends, the sheep, dogs and ponies, with whom he clearly had been able speak and laugh, he was still the last of his people.

When writing his book he had tried to imagine once what it would be like, being the last Hobbit, all of his friends and family dead by Orcs, but his heart had hurt too much and he had put down his quill and gone down to the Green Dragon for an ale with some neighbors.

The skinchanger had told them that once there had been many like him, but now there was only one left and it seemed to Bilbo that with so many Elves sailing west and Dwarves locking themselves in their mountains, much that was bright and good in the world was leaving it and it was because of that the darkness was able to keep creeping back into the light.

How much could have been accomplished with the help of Beorn's people? Would that awful battle have ended differently, with many coming to their aid instead of one? Would Thorin...?

But 'what ifs' had always been the most painful trap for Bilbo's mind to get lost in and he was wise enough at the impressive age of eleventy-nine to set the thoughts aside and return to his book.

 

'9 years later'

Even before Frodo returned to Rivendell, after his dangerous journey to destroy the ring, much news arrived from all around Arda.

Many battles had been fought on many battle grounds and they hadn't been won until Sauron had been banished and his strength and influence over all beings he had corrupted had been removed.

It was then that Bilbo learned of what had befallen Beorn and even though the news was sparse, it lightened his heart and made him smile.

A race of Northmen, who called themselves Beornings in his honor, led by Grimbeorn, son of Beorn, had fought alongside the Woodmen and the Elves to drive the darkness from Mirkwood once and for all.

No one knew what had happened to Beorn himself, only that he had been succeeded by his son, but Bilbo was glad the skinchanger had created a family with someone and he would always remember him for his kindness and love for all things smaller and weaker than himself.

When Frodo, Sam, Merry and Pippin did arrive at Rivendell, they told him of their journeys and he shared with them the news about the many battles that had been fought, including those by the Beornings, and before they left for home he parted with the wisdom that Beorn's tale had grown in his mind over many long years;

All evil needs to triumph is for good people to do nothing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My Tumblr: http://nematihere.tumblr.com/


	4. Spiders

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The spiders did not just appear in Mirkwood, for their tale is older than the sun.

It wasn't until Bilbo had lived quite some time in Rivendell, reading the many ancient books and listening to the stories of the elves, that he began to realize how naive he had been on his journey to the Lonely Mountain.

He had been terribly unaware of the true dangers they had met on the way, all the while preoccupied with the growing awareness he would meeting a dragon at the end of their travels.

When they had lost the path in Mirkwood, he had been more scared of being alone than of the enormous spider that had to tried to wrap him in it's sticky web. Acting purely on instinct, he had stung it with his sword until it stopped twitching. He had lost consciousness for a few moments after killing that first spider and then he'd been off trying to find his companions.

It hadn't been until his first restful sleep afterwards that the same spiders reappeared in his dreams and devoured his still caught friends while they had been hanging from the trees.

Sitting in the warm hall after dinner, right next to the blazing fire, the darkness of Mirkwood seemed far away, but as he listened to the tales of the Great Spiders of Arda, that distant darkness still grew more threatening in his memories.

 

Ungoliant, an old and evil spirit with the shape of a gigantic spider, had possessed a web of darkness called the Unlight of Ungoliant, which had been so dark, not even the eyes of Manwë could penetrate it. She had even travelled to Valinor with Melkor and destroyed the Trees of the Valar, the source of light in the world.

Such grand tales were beyond even Bilbo's imagination, though he was of course reminded of the dark spiders of Mirkwood. Having grown curious, he waited for a lull in the telling, and asked the speaker if those spiders had been related to each other.

Happy to be able to tell his tales to fresh ears, the story teller of that evening set out the rest of the history of the Spiders of middle-earth.

After Ungoliant had destroyed the trees, she had turned on Melkor himself and she would have succeeded too, had the demons of fire, called Balrogs, not come to his defense.

The Balrogs had driven from her home in the north, to Beierland and the 'valley of dreadful death', where other monsters like her roamed, though none so big and powerful as Ungoliant.

The tales say that she later consumed herself in the deserts of the south, so great was her hunger and gluttony. However, her many daughters remained and lived in the valley through all of the first age.

When the War of Wrath had sundered the earth, the valley broke apart and only a few of the dark spiders had been save from the rushing waters, among them one great daughter, Shelob.

Those that remained crossed the Blue Mountains and found shelter in the Shadowy Mountains, which walled the realm of Mordor. There they grew strong again.

In the Third Age of Sun, they made their home in the forest Greenwood the Great, which went dark with the evil of their webs and was renamed Mirkwood.

An evil power had entered Greenwood and the Great Spiders were not alone, for Orcs, Wolves and evil spirits too haunted the forest. For many years the Silvan Elves had been fighting back, but they were not able to halt the spreading darkness and few dared to travel along it's dark paths.

 

The speaker finished his tale and Bilbo shivered, he remembered those dark paths all too well.

How lucky they had been to only meet a few of those spiders, to be captured by Elves before they encountered anything worse. Though surely the mentioned Orcs and Wolves had come to fight in that great battle for Erebor, there they had fought alongside many and not been so very alone as they had been in Mirkwood.

 

Some years later, soon after his poor Frodo had left Rivendell to return to the Shire, an envoy arrived from Mirkwood.

They told of the difficult battle of the alliance between the elves of the Woodland Realm, the Beornings and the Woodmen against the darkness of Dol Guldur. From that place came Orcs, Spiders and Wolves in legion and the battle to cleanse the forest had been long and dreadful.

After their alliance had destroyed the evil forces and the Elves of Lothlórien had taken Dol Guldur, their fight was named the Battle under the Trees and Mirkwood was now called the Wood of Greenleaves.

Bilbo was very relieved indeed to hear that there were no more Great Spiders in Arda and he would never dream of them again.

.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please note that I left out details and names on purpose, so that the casual fans wouldn't have any trouble reading this.
> 
> Source: 'Characters from Tolkien' by David Day.
> 
> My Tumblr: http://nematihere.tumblr.com/


	5. Erebor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> On the mountain, before the door  
> Was sat an old Raven   
> Who cawed the tale of Erebor

On the mountain, before the door  
Was sat an old Raven   
Who cawed the tale of Erebor

Dwarves there were, but then no more  
All were gone  
No more Dwarves in Erebor

The air was foul, the wind was dry  
The cry went up  
And all the Ravens filled the sky

Avoid his gaze, beware his flame  
A dragon comes  
Smaug the Golden be his name

For many years and many nests  
no one came  
Smaug was king without contests

A small thrush came to share the deed  
Smaug was gone  
All was clear and dark would recede

A brave Man had taken his bow  
made his aim  
And with heart, shot his black arrow

I carried a warning, the Raven said  
Orcs are coming  
There were many who fought and many who bled

Many Eagles flew to our aid  
We had won  
But for our Dwarven king they had come to late

Our good friends were laid into stone  
Rest well  
Your flock has finally made it home

Thus life goes on and a new king was crowned  
New nest were made  
And once more to our allies we are bound

The Raven cries, evermore  
My flock, behold;  
Thus shines the light on Erebor

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> http://nematihere.tumblr.com/


	6. Bilbo’s Choice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bilbo makes the choice to give away the Arkenstone (and so his share of the treasure), but his reasons aren't completely altruistic.

Dwarves and gold, so Bilbo found

made for a painful combination

All that glittered on the ground

Was the cause of their fixation

 

Armies came, of Elves and Men

And parked before their door

They demanded gold and gem

Or there would be war they swore

 

We will not part with a single coin

The mountain king declared

With our gold you won't purloin

These Dwarves shall be prepared

 

They lacked supplies, mostly food

so Bilbo would often groan

Thorin was in a foul mood

Seeking the lost Arkenstone

 

The dragon stench filled the rooms

The dry cram stuck to his throat

This treasure would be their tombs

Because Thorin broke his oath

 

Bilbo now was quite annoyed

By the cold and dreary hall

This war he wanted to avoid

So he scrambled down the wall

 

Here is the stone, Bilbo said

Trade it for my fourteenth share

This will stop the fight ahead

I'm done with this whole affair

 

Our dear Hobbit meant so well

But the fight could not be halted

War has come and three still fell

When the Goblins assaulted

 

He saved the lives of his friends

His choice he could not regret

Glad he could still make amends

But this pain he shan't forget

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> http://nematihere.tumblr.com/


	7. The Aftermath

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dain makes Bilbo an offer, but all he wants is to go home.

Bilbo had spent his days since the battle in the Dwarven camp, with a few trips to wherever Gandalf held up at that time, to plan their journey home.

He had just lit his pipe, sitting close to one of the many campfires, when Dain, just crowned the day before, sat down next to him.

"Thorin spoke of you before he died." Dain stated as he took a pipe out of his own coat.

As Bilbo wasn't entirely sure in what manner Thorin had spoken of him, he remained silent. Though he did hand the dwarven king his tobacco pouch.

Dain calmly filled his pipe, lit it and drew a deep breath of smoke before continuing.

"Balin has already told me of your journey and the happenings after Smaug was killed, but Thorin told me of his own doings and his deep regrets over his actions towards you."

Bilbo nodded, quite sure now that Dain wasn't here for anything bad.

"He said he took back his words and deeds..." His throat feeling tight as the image of Thorin on his deathbed sprung forth in his thoughts. Looking so unlike the warrior king he had known.

"Your banishment has officially been lifted." Dain took another puff of the sweet smelling smoke. "If you wish, you'd be welcome to stay in Erebor."

For just a second the idea sounded welcome, staying with his friends, but to leave his beloved Shire...

"I want to go home." He said, his voice filled with longing. "I want to go back to my books and my armchair. I miss my garden and the green hills and I even miss my nosy neighbors, who will whisper behind my back when I return."

Bilbo turned to look at the large dwarf next to him. Dain looked splendid in his rich robes, but in his heart Bilbo wished another kingly dwarf was sat next to him and he knew he would never grow content here.

"This adventure turned out very different from what I had expected and now that it is over, I find that I want nothing more than to go home."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My Tumblr: http://nematihere.tumblr.com/


	8. Free: Goodbye Dear Friend

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Balin comes to visit and brings news of a new quest.

It had been many years since any of his Dwarven friends had last visited, so finding Balin on his doorstep was certainly a welcome surprise.

Tea was quickly served, accompanied by any and all dished Bilbo had stored for his own plentiful meals, including the lovely seedcake he had baked just the day before.

Balin had many tales to share, of the restoration of Erebor and Dale, of the hard won alliances, but mostly of the remaining members of their company.

He told Bilbo of Dori's trade emporium ever growing larger, of Bifur's successful toyshop, of Bombur's sixth child, and many more, but he finished with the news that Ori, Oin and himself would be leaving soon to attempt to reclaim Moria from the Orcs.

Bilbo vaguely recalled the stories he heard on their journey, about the Dwarves fighting an overwhelming horde in an earlier attempt to regain the ancient Dwarven halls, but surely after the battle for Erebor the amount of Orcs was much diminished?

"I wish I had the will to come with you, old friend." Bilbo said as he refilled their cups. "But I do not wish to be parted from my home for so long once again, especially now that I have taken in my young cousin. His parents died some years ago, you see, but he clearly wasn't flourishing among his many cousins in Brandyhal."

. "I am in need of an heir and I recognize much of myself in him, a bit too much I think at times." He stated with humor as he served another scone.

Balin nodded sagely, as he often did, and continued his tale with an amusing anecdote about Nori continuing mission to rile up of the guards, Dwalin in particular.

In the end Balin stayed for several days before returning to Erebor from his trip to Ered Luin.

It wasn't until years later, when his nephew told him of what they had found in Moria, that Bilbo understood why Balin had come that day.

His dear friend had not come to ask him along, he had come to say goodbye.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My Tumblr: http://nematihere.tumblr.com/


	9. Other works: The Fellowship of the Ring

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bilbo travelled back to Erebor after his party, but doesn't find what his heart was looking for.

The Fellowship of the Ring, Book 1, Chapter 1: A Long-expected Party

_They went out into the hall. Bilbo chose his favourite stick from the stand; then he whistled. Three dwarves came out of different rooms where they had been busy._

_‘Is everything ready?’ asked Bilbo. ‘Everything packed and labelled?’_

_‘Everything,’ they answered._

_‘Well, let’s start then!’ He stepped out of the front-door._

_It was a fine night, and the black sky was dotted with stars. He looked up, sniffing the air. ‘What fun! What fun to be off again, off on the Road with dwarves! This is what I have really been longing for, for years! Good-bye! ‘ he said, looking at his old home and bowing to the door. ‘Good-bye, Gandalf!’_

_‘Good-bye, for the present, Bilbo. Take care of yourself! You are old enough, and perhaps wise enough.’_

\-------

The Fellowship of the Ring, Book 2, Chapter 1: Many Meetings

_Bilbo had not much to say of himself. When he had left Hobbiton he had wandered off aimlessly, along the Road or in the country on either side; but somehow he had steered all the time towards Rivendell._

_`I got here without much adventure,' he said, `and after a rest I went on with the dwarves to Dale: my last journey. I shan't travel again. Old Balin had gone away. Then I came back here, and here I have been.'_

\--------

The second time Bilbo travelled to the east it was an uneventful journey, though much longer than the first time. They took the safest routes and rested much more frequently than was allowed on the first trek. Bilbo might still look the same, but inside he felt tired and worn out.

Just Nori, Bofur and Dwalin accompanied him this time and they were in no rush, other than to cross the mountains before winter set in.

He was covered in the dark green cloak Dwalin had once given him, many years ago and though it was now faded and raffling at the edges, it was still warm and much too large. Dwalin had laughed when he finally recognized it.

They rested in Rivendell for a long while, welcomed by Lord Elrond, who once again told Bilbo he was welcome to stay for however long he wanted.

The muttered protests from the Dwarves were more amusing than annoying to Bilbo this time around and they certainly behaved themselves much better.

The climb across the Misty Mountains was tiring, but Bilbo still insisted on taking the long way to visit Beorn, who still called him little bunny, but handled him with much more care.

It was unanimously decided to go around Mirkwood, even though it cost them a lot of time, but though the necromancer was driven out, the spiders still remained and Bilbo never wanted to meet those ever again.

The Dwarves promised a warm welcome in Erebor, but Bilbo is exhausted and sick when they reached Dale, his trousers were much too loose and his cough was getting worse each day.

It was King Bain, now an old man, who welcomed them to his halls and offered the services of an healer and the comfort of a warm bed. Bilbo gladly accepted and it turned out to be a good thing, because the next day he developed a strong fever that burned for five full days.

The healers visited him often, as do Bofur, Nori and Dwalin, though the latter two were clearly uncomfortable. Most likely by the fierce reminder of his advanced age.

It took him three weeks to recover his strength, though not the weight he had lost.

Bilbo was embarrassed to find out he was being cared for by Prince Brand, son of Bain, and his sweet wife Frida, but they just laughed and offered him another delicacy from their well stocked kitchens.

The healers had ordered him to stay abed and Bilbo spent much of his time looking out his window, to Erebor. From this distance it was only a dark towering shape, but the stories told on the road had brought it to live for him.

Only now the realisation set in that it won't be the same. He knew of course it wouldn't look the same, much had been restored over the last sixty years, but neither will the people be the same.

He didn't know why, but for some reason he had expected to find the company there, whole and healthy, to welcome him home.

Only, Balin, Ori and Oin had left with a large regiment to take back Moria, Dwalin had informed him they had not heard from them for a long while now, and they had already buried Thorin, Fili and Kili so many years ago.

Grief struck him as if he had only just visited the corpses of the young brothers and said his last goodbyes to Thorin. This was _not_ why he had come back. His reasons for coming were no longer here.

He broke into ugly sobbing, muffling the noises in his handkerchief to prevent attracting attention and cried until his eyes were red and his pillow was wet with his tears.

The next day he informed his dear friends, who had travelled all this way with him, that he wouldn't be going to Erebor with them, as a matter of fact, he would be returning west and most likely stay in Rivendell.

They were disappointed of course, Bofur most of all, but they accepted his explanations and started making preparations for the long journey.

He protested against them going back with him all that way, stating that he could hire an escort, but they wouldn't hear of it and they departed as soon as he was well enough.

That was how he found himself in Rivendell to stay, spending his days writing in his book and creating poetry.

And if his poetry was mostly about his travels and a king without a crown, the Elves didn't mention it and simply asked him to recite it to them once again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My Tumblr: http://nematihere.tumblr.com/


End file.
